Chianti
Explore Chianti with your family: hilltop villages, castle visits, pasta classes, and some of the best food in Tuscany. Here is everything you need to plan your trip.
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🇮🇹Florence
Discover Florence with your family — from climbing Brunelleschi's Dome to wandering the Ponte Vecchio and eating your way through the Mercato Centrale.
Your family guide
Florence with kids: where every street tells a story
“Florence doesn't just show you history: it makes you feel it.”
— San & Jo
Florence is one of those cities that genuinely surprises families. You expect museums and monuments, and yes, there are plenty of those. But what you actually get is a city that's deeply alive: full of buzzing piazzas, street food vendors, open-air sculptures, and red-tiled rooftops glowing in the afternoon sun. The Arno River runs right through the heart of it all, and the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge feels like something straight out of a fairy tale.
What makes Florence so good for families is how much of it you experience just by walking around. The streets are narrow and full of character, the gelaterias are everywhere, and even a quick stroll leads you past something extraordinary: a Renaissance facade, a hidden courtyard, or a market stall piled high with local produce. It's the kind of city where curiosity is rewarded at every turn.
Florence is also genuinely manageable. It's compact, mostly flat, and easy to navigate on foot. You won't need to spend hours on public transport to reach the highlights. That makes a real difference when you're travelling with kids who have limited patience for logistics and unlimited appetite for gelato.
Tuscany, ItalyCentral Italy
April to OctoberBest time to visit
Highly walkableCompact city centre
Best things to do
Why we love Florence for families
Climb Brunelleschi's Dome
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is Florence's most iconic landmark, and climbing the 463 steps to the top of Brunelleschi's Cupola rewards your family with jaw-dropping panoramic views over the city. The cathedral itself is free to enter, which is a nice bonus. Kids who love a physical challenge will be proud of themselves at the top.
Book dome tickets in advance: queues can be very long without a reservation
1-2 hours
See the real David at the Accademia Gallery
Michelangelo's original statue of David is one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world, and seeing it in person is genuinely awe-inspiring for the whole family. The scale of it surprises everyone. It's a short visit but a memorable one, and a great way to spark a conversation about Renaissance art with older kids.
Pre-book tickets online to skip the queue: walk-up waits can stretch to hours in peak season
1 hour
Explore Piazza della Signoria
Florence's civic heart is essentially a free open-air museum. The piazza is filled with impressive sculptures including a replica of Michelangelo's David, the Neptune Fountain, and the Loggia dei Lanzi: an open arcade packed with Renaissance statues that kids can walk right up to and examine. It's lively, spacious, and endlessly photogenic.
Visit early morning or late afternoon to avoid the midday crowds and heat in summer
30-60 minutes
Walk the Ponte Vecchio
Florence's most famous bridge is a medieval structure spanning the Arno, uniquely lined with small jewellers' shops on both sides. It was originally home to butchers in the Middle Ages before goldsmiths took over. Walking across it, especially at dusk when the light turns golden, is one of those simple Florence moments your family will talk about long after you get home.
The bridge is most magical at sunrise or just before sunset: midday is very crowded
20-30 minutes
Escape to the Boboli Gardens
Behind the grand Pitti Palace lies a vast formal Renaissance garden that's perfect for a family breather. The Boboli Gardens offer wide paths, fountains, statues, and shaded corners where little ones can run around and recharge. It's one of Florence's best-kept practical secrets for families who need a break from cobblestones and crowds.
Bring a picnic and head to the upper terraces for great views over the city
1-2 hours
Sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo
This hilltop viewpoint offers the most famous panoramic view of Florence's skyline, complete with replica sculptures by Michelangelo. Sunset here is a genuine highlight of any Florence visit. The walk up is manageable for most families, and the reward is a view that perfectly captures why this city is so special.
Arrive 30 minutes before sunset to secure a good spot: it gets busy fast
1 hour
Wander the Mercato Centrale
Florence's main covered food market is a brilliant sensory experience for the whole family. The ground floor is a working local market with fresh produce, cheese, and cured meats. The upper floor is a food hall where you can graze on everything from fresh pasta to lampredotto: Florence's famous slow-cooked street food sandwich. Even picky eaters usually find something to love here.
Go on a weekday morning when it's quieter and the produce stalls are at their freshest
1 hour
Discover the Baptistery of San Giovanni
One of the oldest buildings in Florence, the Baptistery sits right next to the Duomo and is famous for its extraordinary gilded bronze east doors, the Gates of Paradise, featuring detailed biblical scenes by Lorenzo Ghiberti. It's a short visit but a fascinating one, and the doors are a brilliant talking point for kids who enjoy spotting the different stories in the panels.
The doors on display outside are high-quality replicas: the originals are preserved inside the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
30-45 minutes
Our verdict
How Florence scores for families
Kids
Open piazzas, climbable monuments, gelato on every corner, and sculptures you can walk right up to. Florence keeps kids engaged without trying too hard.
Culture
Florence is arguably the world's greatest concentration of Renaissance art and architecture. The cultural richness here is simply unmatched.
Food
Hearty Tuscan classics, fresh pasta, excellent street food, and gelato that will ruin all other gelato for you forever. Food lovers are very well served.
Nature
The Boboli Gardens and the Arno riverside offer green breathing space, but Florence is primarily an urban destination. Day trips into the Tuscan countryside are the real nature fix.
Budget
Major museums require paid entry and accommodation is pricey in peak season. That said, many piazzas, churches, and street experiences are completely free.
Planning your visit
How long should you stay in Florence?
2
2 days
Quick visit
Hit the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, and a sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo. You'll get the flavour but feel a little rushed.
sweet spot
4
4 days
Sweet spot
Enough time to visit the Accademia, Uffizi, Boboli Gardens, and Mercato Centrale at a relaxed pace, with room for wandering and gelato breaks.
6
6 days
Deep dive
Add the Bargello, Santa Croce, Pitti Palace, and a day trip into the Tuscan hills. You'll leave feeling like you really know the city.
Fun facts
Things about Florence your kids will remember
The dome was built without scaffolding
When Brunelleschi designed the famous dome in the early 1400s, nobody knew how to build it: it was the largest dome attempted since ancient Rome. He invented entirely new machines and techniques to get it done, including a way to build it without the usual wooden support structure. Workers even cooked lunch up there to save time climbing up and down.
Florence has been hit by two catastrophic floods
In 1333 a massive flood destroyed the original Ponte Vecchio. Then in 1966, the Arno burst its banks again and submerged much of the city. Volunteers from across Italy and the world rushed to Florence to rescue artworks and treasures from the mud. They became known as the Angeli del Fango: the Mud Angels.
Florentine bread has no salt: on purpose
Traditional Tuscan bread (pane sciocco) is made completely without salt, which surprises most visitors. The tradition dates back centuries, possibly linked to a salt tax dispute with the Pope. The bland bread was designed to complement the bold, salty flavours of Florentine food, and it forms the base of classic dishes like ribollita and pappa al pomodoro.
Taste Florence
What to eat in Florence with your family
Ribollita
Local favouriteTrattoria Marione
A thick, hearty soup made from black cabbage, white beans, and leftover bread, slow-cooked until creamy. It's the ultimate Florentine comfort food and a brilliant introduction to the city's cucina povera tradition. Warming, filling, and genuinely delicious.
Bistecca alla fiorentina
Must tryIl Santo Bevitore
Florence's most iconic dish is a thick, aged T-bone steak grilled over wood or charcoal and served rare. It's a serious slab of meat and a real event to order. Older kids and teens who love steak will be very happy. Traditionally shared between the table.
Lampredotto sandwich
Local favouriteMercato Centrale
Florence's signature street food: slow-cooked cow's stomach served in a bread roll with salsa verde. It sounds challenging but it's a genuine Florentine tradition and the vendors at Mercato Centrale are the best place to try it. Adventurous kids often love the experience of trying something so local.
Pappa al pomodoro
Safe choiceTrattoria Marione
A thick, comforting soup made from stale bread and ripe tomatoes, finished with good olive oil. It's simple, mild, and very approachable for younger eaters. Particularly popular in summer and autumn when local tomatoes are at their best.
Gelato
Daily treatGelateria dei Neri
Florence takes its gelato seriously, and you'll find excellent gelaterie throughout the city. Look for shops where the gelato is stored in covered metal containers rather than piled high in colourful mounds: that's usually a sign of the real thing made fresh on-site. A daily ritual your family will happily commit to.
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